My friend Denise shared this with me. Its her favorite chocolate cake. Greg first made for her birthday.
Mom’s Chocolate Cake
Serves 8 to 10
Everybody needs a great chocolate cake recipe; this, from an old magazine, is the one our family and friends love the most. Kate has messed around with the recipe occasionally, and has found that using milk chocolate instead of dark results ina much sweeter cake that younger kids like. This is a version geared more to grown ups. Nevertheless, a big glass of milk is the idea c=accompaniement. This isbest baked the day before serving.
2 cups Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups water (i might try part with espresso powder)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (she used sharfenberger in the one i tasted)
6 tbl unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 recipe chocolate icing (see recipe below)
Preheat over to 350. Butter & flour 2 8 inch round cake pans. Line with parchment or wax paper.
In medium bowl, sift together flour, bke powder, soda, salt; set aside.
In medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves; then pour into a large bowl. Add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir n vanilla.
Beat eggs into the chocolate mixture at medium speed until combined. Add the dry ingredients all at once and beat at medium speed until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in pans for about 25 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
Set one cake on a serving platter. Using a metal spatula, spread one-third of the chocolate icing over the cake. Top the second cake and ice the top and sides with rest of icing.
Chocolate Icing
(note: i havent tasted this but i like the ingredients (whipping cream and butter combo)
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup plus 2 tbl unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
In medium saucepan, bring the cream and sugar to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces slightly, about 6 minutes. our the mixture into a medium bowl and add the chocolate, butter, vanilla and salt. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are melted.
Set the bowl inside a larger bowl of ice water. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the icing on medium speed, scraping the sides occasionally with a rubber spatula, until thick and glossy, about 5 minutes. Use at once.
